Circuit closing device



Nov. 22, 1932.

H. SENGEBUSCH CIRCUIT CLOS ING DEVICE Filed Feb. 1, 1932 1.: n :1 Han: Ell'j lbus'ch 6 H Patented Nov. 22, 1932 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAN S SENGEBUSCH, OF VILLA. PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

ASSOCIATED ELECTRIC LABORATORIES, INC., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORA- TION @I DELAWARE CIRCUIT GLDSING DEVICE Application filed February 3, 1932. Serial No. 590,087.,

The present invention relates to circuit closing devices in general, but, more particularly, it relates to that class of circuit closdevices in which contact springs are forced into engagement with each other by members having cam surfaces, Devices of this character find particular usage in multiposition switches, such as those employed in automatic telephone systems, as auxiliary circult closing devices for performing auxiliary circuit closing operations in different positions of these switches,

The principal object of the present invention is to nrovide an auxiliary circuit closing; device of e character described which emhodies gr w simplicity, which is particularly adartahle for use with that type of switch which has rnovahle shaft carrying circuit closing winers, and which is readily and easily altered to provide any one of a plurality of different cam surfaces. The rnulti-position switch, for which the product of this invention is 'ticularly suitable, is that type of switch, commonly known as the Strow- ,e er switch, which has a wiper-carrying shaft n ovable in a vertical direction and a rotary c ection. A Strowgcr switch is shown described in United States Letters Intent l o, @5176, granted March 13, 1906 1. ncei'th et al.

The present invention comprises a member which is ved in a vertical direction by the vertical movement oi the wiper shaft and has projections thereon which act as earns during such movement to operate sprint;

contacts commonly known as normal-post springs,

-#ln understanding of the construction of the circuit closing device of this invention and appreciation of the novelty and useiulness thereoi may be had from a study of the detailed description which follows, reference being: had to the associated drawing; comprising: Figs, 1 to 9, inclusive.

The pref rred embodiment of the inven tion is shown in Figs l. to l, inclusive in whichl is side view of the cam member;

Fig. 2 is a lower end view of said member;

Fig. 3 is a rear view of said member; and

Fig, 4- is a front view of the circuit closing device completely assembled and in position on the Strowger switch,

A modification or" the invention is shown in Figs. 5 to 9, inclusive, in which Fig. 5 is a side view or" the modified device completely assembled and in position on the F19. 6 is a top view of he assembly of Fig. 5;

Fig. '2' is a front'view oi the assembly of 1 lg, 5;

Fig: 8 is a view or" a douhle surface cam;

and

9 is a view of a singlesuriace cam.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, in detail, will be noted that the member 1 is channel-shaped and that each side thereof is provided with ten teeth, or projections 2, These teeth 2 are arranged in ten horizontal rows, or levels, of two teeth each, ten such levels being provided to correspond with the ten vertical steps or positions of the wiper shaft. T he ten teeth on each side of the channel member 1 are integral with the side of the member l and lie in the plane of the surface thereof. The teeth Q are capable of being bent from their normal position to a position at right-angles to the surface of the sides of channel 1 as clearly indicated Each side of the channel member 1 has a projection 3 which is bent towards the center of the channel and at right-angles to the surface of the corresponding side of the channel 1, thus providing the member 1 with a tube like structure at its upper end,

The lower portion 5 of the member l is bent at right-angles to the front surface thereof and is provided with the projections 6 and bent to the positions shown best in Fig. 3..

The manner in which the cam member shown in Figs, 1 to 8, inclusive, is mounted on and secured to the Strowger switch is shown in Fig. 4. In this figure, those arts shown and described in the aforementioned Keith patent have been designated by char-- actors of reference corresponding to those of said Keith patent. The restoring, or cup, spring Ka i, which in the well-known manner provides the return rotary movement for the to prevent any material lateral movement of.

the cam member when that member is slipped over the end of the normal post.

The projection 5 of the cam member fits under thecup spring 64 and rests, upon the cup-spring bracket 66. The projection 7 of the end 5 projects under the lower surface of the cup-spring bracket 66 while the projec- N I tion 6 of the end 5 fits over the edge of the cupspring bracket 56. By this arrangement the cam member is easily fitted into place and the projections 6 and 7 secure the cam member to the cup-spring bracket 56 so that when the shaft B and cup-spring bracket 56 are moved upward and downward, the cam member will be moved thereby'and will slide on the normal post 4.

Secured to the upper end of the normal post 4 is a block 8 having a set screw 9. This block 8 is for the purpose of supporting the spring assemblies 10 and 11. Included in each spring assembly is a spring member 12 which at its lower end carries a roller 12,

which roller is adapted to roll on the cam member 1 as that member is elevated with the shaft B. The teeth 2 lying in the plane of the side surfaces of the member 1 have no effeet on the roller 12', but, when bent to the position at right-angles to the side surfaces of the cam member, the teeth will be in the path of the roller 12 and will cause the rollers to move outward, with respect to the normal 0st 4, and over the ends of the teeth, there y actuating the contact springs of the respective assemblies. I

When it is desired to operate the contact springs of the assembly 10 in a certain vertical position of the shaft B, the tooth of that row having effect on the roller of the spring assembly 10 and corresponding to the desired position will be bent outwardly to the effective position. If it is desired to maintain the contact springs of the assembly 10 in the operated position during the rest of the vertical movement of the shaft, the teeth following the first twobent will also be bent and the roller 12 will ride upon the ends of all of 1 these bent teeth, thereby maintaining the springs in their operated position during the remaining portion of the vertical movement and the corresponding portion of the return or downward movement of the shaft B. If it is desired to operate the contact springs in only one level, or vertical position, of the switch shaft B, only the tooth corresponding to that level or position will be bent. Therefore,- when the shaft is continued in its'vertical movement the roller willreturn towards the normal post 4 after having ridden over the endof the bent tooth.

In the arrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the contact spring assembly 10 will be operated when the switch shaft B takes its third vertical step and will remain operated until the shaft B takes its ninth vertical step.

The contact springs of the assembly 11 will be operated by the corresponding roller 12 and teeth of the cam member 1 in exactly the same manner as the contact springs of the member 10'are operated. In the arrangement shown, the springs of assembly 11 will be operated when the shaft B takes its first vertical step and will be in a normal position in all other positions of the shaft B.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that a circuit closing device, comprising the cam member and the contact spring assembly, has been provided which is readily attached to any Strbwger switch merely by supplying a longer normal post in order to hold the contact spring assemblies in proper.

operatingrelation with the cam member, and that any desired control of the contact springs of these assemblies can be secured merely by bending to the operated position, or out of that position, any one, or more, of the cam teeth 2.

The modified circuit closing device will now be described, reference being had to Figs. 5 to 9, inclusive. In the modified arrangement, the cup-spring bracket 56 of the Keith patent is replaced by a new cup-spring bracket 13 which is longer in order to provide a mounting for the vertical rod 15 which is positioned in front of the cup-spring be, that is, to the left of the cup-spring M in Fig. 5. Also, the normal post 727 of the Keith patent is replaced by the normal post 14 which is of a suitable length. Secured to the upper end of the normal post 14 by means of screw 25 are the clamps 23 and 24 which carry the contact spring assemblies 22 and 21, respectively. The springs of these assemblies are of the general shape shown best in Fig. 5 and are disposed one assembly on either side of rod 15, the lowermost ends of the springs of the assemblies extending downward approximately to the upper end of the rod 15.

The rod 15, which is rigidly secured to the cup-spring bracket 13, is provided along its length with ten grooves 16, corresponding to the vertical position of the shaft B. Rigidly secured to the upper end of rod 15', there is a member 17 which, at its free end, is provided with an aperture to receive the anchoring pin 18, which pin, at its upper end, is provided with a head which is lar er than the aperture in the member 17 corresponding aperture is provided in the end of is elevated.

her has passed the engaging portion cup-spring bracket 13 to receive the lower end of the pin .18.

lihe grooves 16 are adapted to receive the cam members 19 and 20 shown in Figs. 8 and 9, respectively, and the pin 18 is adapted to pass through apertures in the cam members 19 and 20 in order to prevent movement of the cam members after they have been inserted in the grooves 16 ofrod 15.

The rod 15 is of such a diameter that when it is elevated upon the elevation of the shaft B, it wili pass between the two spring assemblies without effecting either. The cam members 19 are so designed that when in position on the rod 15 they will operate the tact springs of both assemblies as the shaft B if two cam members 19 are mounted on the rod 15 in adjacent grooves 16, the contact springs of the spring assemblies wiil be operated when engaged by the uppermost of the cam members and wiil be maintained operated until the second cam memoi the operating springs of the assembiies. Thus, if it is desired to operate the springs of both assemblies in only one position of the switch shaft B, only one cam member 19 will be employed and that will be inserted in the groove 16 corresponding to the desired position. if is desired to maintain the contact springs n the operated position after once being operated and for any desired number of positions ioiiowing the position in which the springs were first operated, oarn members 19 wili be in the grooves id in the positions immediately ioiiowing the first eiiecii hen it is desired to operate oniy one spring assenly, the cam member of the design shown in Fig. 9 will be employed. This cani memb 20 has oniy one cam suriace and, therefore operate only oneset of contact springs, it is desired to operate only the contact springs of assembly 21, the cam memher 520 wili be placed in such position that the cam surface iii be to the right of rod 15, Fig, 7, if it is desired to operate oniy the contact springs assembly 22, the cam member 20 will be pieced with the cam surface on the left side of rod 1. i

in the arrangement shown in Figs. 5 and 'i, the contact springs of assembly 21 will be operated upon the first vertical step of the shaft B, will be restored when shaft B takes its second vertical step, and wiil be operated again oniy when the shaft B is elevated to its ninth and tenth positions, 'The contact springs of assembly 22 will be operated when the shaft is operated to its first position, wiii be restored when the switch shaft is eievated to its second position-,.wili be reoperated in the sixth verticai position of the shaft, wiil be restored in the seventh vertical pos tion of the shaft and will be operated for the last time in the tenth vertical position of-the shaft.

Any desired combination of cams can be secured at any time merely by lifting the pin 18 and inserting the properly shaped cam member in the proper groove in rod 15 and then replacing the pin 18.

From the foregoing description of the modified device, it will-be appreciated that normai-post-spring operations for automatic switches of the Strowger type can be secured with only a slight. alteration of the standard parts of Strowger switches, and once the circuit closing device is attached to the switch, that any desired operation of the normal-post springs can be easily and .quickly obtained.

The invention in its two embodiments having been thus described, what is consid ered new and desired to have protected by Letters Patent is described in the claims which follow.

lVhatis claimed is:

i. in an automatic switch having a'wiper shaft and means for moving said shaft iongitudinally in a step-by-step manner into a plurality of positions, stationary contactspring assemblies, each including an operating member for operating the contact springs of that assembly, and a member carried by said shaft and provided with means for causing' said operating members to operate their respective contact springs as said shaft is moved, said last means comprising a pluraiity of cams placeabie in operative relation with said operating members as required to secure required operation of the contact springs or" said assemblies as said shaft is moved intoies various positions.

2. "in a two-motion switch having a wipershaft, means for moving said shaft in a stepby-step manner in a iongitudinai direction and in a rotary direction, a bracket carried by said shaft and itself carrying a restoring spring for said shaft, and a post cooperating with said bracket to permit movement thereof by said shaft in its iongitudinal movement, but not in its rotary movement, a pair oi contact-spring assemblies secured to said post, each assembly inciudin an operating memher for operating the contact springs, and member carried by said bracket and provided with means for causing said operatihg members to operate their respective contact springs during the longitudinalrnovement of said shaft, said last means'comprising a piu-= raiity of cams variably arranges-hie to engage said operating members at desired points in the longitudinal movement of said shaft and thereby cause said operating members to oper'ate their respective contact springs.

3. In a two-motion switch oi the step-lav step type having a switch shaft, means for moving said shaft in a longitudinal and a rotary direction, a shaft-restoring-spring bracket and a post cooperating with said by said shaft in the longitudinal direction but not in the rotary direction, contact springs secured to said post, and an operating member .for said springs carried by said bracket, said member having means for operating said contact springs during the longitudinal movement of said shaft, which means are alterable to secure operation of said contact springs at desired points in the longitu dinal movement of said shaft.

4. In an automatic switch having a mov= able shaft and means for moving said shaft into a plurality of positions, a set of stationary contact springs, and a member carried by said shaft having a plurality of contact-operation projections corresponding to the positions of said shaftand normally in inoperative relation with said springs, each of said projections adapted to be placed in operative relation to said springs to operate them when said shaft is moved into the corresponding position;

5. In an automatic switch having a wiper shaft and means for moving said shaft into a plurality of positions, a stationary contactspring assembly including an operating mem her for operating the contact springs, and means carried by said shaft for engaging said operatin member as said shaft moves to cause said member to operate the contact springs, said last means comprising a racklike member having a tooth corresponding to each position of said shaft and bendable into and out of operative relation with said operating member, whereby operation of said contact springs in any po'sitionof said shaft may be secured by bending the tooth corresponding to that position into operative relation with said operating member.

6. In a switch mechanism of the type wherein a shaft is first directively moved longitudinally to position a wiper carried there-= y opposite one of a plurality of groups of contacts and then moved rotationally to po sition said wipers in engagement with a con tact of said one group and wherein said shaft is restored in the rotational direction by a spring, a bracket carried by said shaft and moved by said shaft in its longitudinal direction, said spring having one end secured to said bracket and the other end to said shaft, a stationary rod cooperating with said bracket to prevent rotation thereof when said shaft is rotated, contact springs mounted on said rod, and a member slidably mounted on said rod and having means for booking itself to said bracket, whereby movement of said bracket moves said member along said rod, said member also having a plurality of cam members corresponding to said plurality of groups of contacts and each adapted to be placed in such relation with said contact springs to operate them when said shaft is moving one member relative to the other member, said operating member thereupon riding over those teeth in operative relation therewith to operate said contact springs.

8. In an automatic switch having a wiper shaft and means for moving said shaft into a plurality of positions, stationary contactspring assemblies, each including an operating member for operating the contact springs of that assembly, and means carried by said shaft for engaging said operating members to cause them to operate their respective contact springs as said shaft is moved, said last means comprising a rod having a plurality of cam seats corresponding to the positions of said shaft and a plurality of cams having one or more cam surfaces mountable in said seats as desired to engage desired ones of said operatin members in desired positions of said shaft, whereby operation of the contact springs of any assembly may be secured in any position of said shaft.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 28th day of January, A. D.

HANS snnennnson 

